Laying or taking up of railway tracks



July 21, 1925.

' 1,547,019 A. w. BRETLAND LAYING OR TAKING U? of RAILWAY TRACKS FileNov. 6. 1924 s Sheets-sheaf 1 flrflur W11 e refjvznz g venfar:

July.21, 192s. 1,547,019

A. W. BRETLAND LAYING 0R iAKING UP OF RAILWAY TRACKS Filed 1924 6Sheets-Sheet 2 zvven'for:

flrflur' Wily; graze/arid July 21, 1925.

A. w. BRETLAND LAYING OR TAKING UP OF RAILWAY TRACKS Filed Nov- 6, 19246 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jul 21, 1925.

. r 1,547,019. A. w. BRETLAND LAYING-OR TAKING UP OF RAILWAYTRACKS Filed'Nov. 6, 1924 e Sheets-Sheet 4 Ha. /0. 4c 1r July 21, 1925. 1,547,019 Aw. BRETLAND LAYING OR TAKING UP OF RAILWAY TRACKS Filed Nov. 6, 1924 6Sheets-Sheet 5 LQ/Enflfh July 21, 1925. A.'W. BRETLAND LAYING OR TAKINGUP OF RAILWAY TRACKS F le o 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 f2 24 .D 243 56.20. 2424 ]i" 4 5 v: I 1 I IS 25 25 27 26 26 25 25 2 L vmfw,

Patented July 21, 1925.

UNITE seams.

rursur OFFICE.

ARTHUR WHITE BRETLAND, 0F DUBLIN, IRELAND. 1

LAYING one-"mine nr or RAILWAY TRACKS.

Application filed Novmber 6, 1924. Serial No. 743,270.

To all 10 how may concern Be it known that l ARTHUR lt iii'rn LAND, asulnect of the King of. llngland;

residing at Dublin, Irish Free State, have invented certain new andusetul improvement in or Relating to the Laying or Taking Up otltailwayTra ks, or' which the following is a sp ciiication.

This invention relates to an improved plant for the handling oiassembled track units of railway tracks and it has for its object toenable the laying of new railway tracks or the taking up o1 aid railwaytracks and the relaying of railway tracks to ap iiropriate hoisting andconveying gear,

whereby the individual track units are picked up iron! the stacks on thetrucks and conveyed to a laying ear at the end of the train and placedat the requisite point of the road bed.

New according to this invention, and in orderto enable the performanceof the several ope ations aforesaid to be eti'ected in a simple andhighly QCOHOfillCELl manner, the rails of the continuous runwayon thetrucks tlll'G'dTlOlilliQCl laterally preterably above thelongitudinalsides of the "trucks to leave the space between them on thetrucks unobstructed for the fstacl-zing o'tthe track units directlyonthe decks orfioors of the trucks and to provide a clear runwayalongside of the train. Adapted to run on this con tinuous runway is atravelling trolley crane or gantry so constructed as to bridge orspanthe train transversely and to run freely over and clearer. thestacked track units on the consecutive trucks from one end o t the trainto the other ineither direction Supported at the laying end oi the trainover a normally empty truck is a suspended cantilever 'irovided'with alaying crab and arun 'way therefor along its entire length and havingits rear arin so constructed and overhanging the runway oithe travellinggen try as to enable that overhanging part oi the cantilever and thegantry structure to house one another or to overlap in their cooperativeposition,

Due to this arrangement, therefore, when the gentry has reached thelaying end of the train its conveying gear is brought into closeproximity to the laying crab of the cantilever crane; and thearrangement is such as to enable this co-operation to be et- 7 fectedbetween the cantilever arm and thebottom of the truck on which thecantilever is supported or over which the feed of track units takesplace, with the result that the laying crab and the grab on thegantryniay readily teed one anotherwith track units no matter in whatdirection.

The above and other characteristics of this invention will hereinafterbe niore fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings inwhich o Fig. 1 shows diii-grammatically the composition of a train forlaying, relaying or talgingup railway tracks according to the invention.

F igQ 2 shows a complete railway truck for transporting the railwaytrack in made up sections or units and fitted with runways and atravelling gantry for transporting such units from any one of the truckstotlie front of the train for laying or vice versa. F 3 is a plan viewof the travelling gantry showing more particularly the driving andhoisting gears mounted thereon.

Fig. 4: isran end view of the truck and gantry as shown in Fig. 2. rFig. 5 illustrates the crane truck titted with a cantilever crane andshows the travelling gantry and the laying crab in their co-operativeposit-ions, respectively, for either laying a new .tracl or picking upan old-one.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of Fig. 5, butshowing only the truck andcantilever crane."

Fig. 7 is asectional elevation on the line VII-VII o't' F 8 of the rearend of the crane truck, showing the layingcrab in the act of picking upa iiewtrack unit or of de positing an old one which haspreviouslybeen'laid and is to be removed by the lltlV: elling gantry.

Fig. 8 is plan and Fig. 9 is an end elevation of Fig. 7. It should benotedthat the Figs. 1 to 9 represent inore or less diagran'iniatic viewsfrom which irrelevant details have been eliminated, while details ofimportance deleted therefrom for the sake of clearness are illustratedin the following separate drawings on an enlarged scale.

Fi 10 and 11 show in elevation and plan respectively the means forconnecting the runways and electric conductors of the several vehicles.

Figs. 12 and 13 are sections along lines Xll Xll and XHIXTTT of Fig. 10re spectively.

Fig. 14: is a sectional elevation of mechanism enabling a limitedlateral displacement of the hoisting gear on the traveling gantry to beeffected.

Figs. 15 and 16 are, respectively, a plan view of Fig. 14:, and across-section on line XVI XVI thereof.

Figs. 17 and 18 show respectively a partly sectional elevation on theline XVII-XVH of Fig. 18 and a plan of a part of a frame which issuspended from the travelling gantry and provided with devices forgripping the rail sections to be hoisted.

Figs. 19 and 20 are cross sections on the lines XIXXIX and XX-XX of Fig.17 respectively.

Figs. 21 and 22 are cross sections and longitudinal sectionsrespectively in vertical planes through the points of suspension of thegrip frame'carried by the laying crab and Fig. 23 is a. part plan of thesame illustrating means for limited lateral. displacement of the pointsof suspension with the object of tilting the said grip frame.

The arrangement of adepot whether stationary or movable for the stackingof new and used railway sleepers and rails and for the stacking ofassembled new track units and assembled old track sections,'and themeans forhandling that material and for its transfer to or from therolling stock employed, will be fully understood by those skilled in theart, and no specific representation thereof would appear to be necessaryin the accompanying drawings, and it will be obvious also without goinginto much detail that the actualtrack laying plant illustrated hereinand hereinafter exhaustively described in connection more particularlywith the handling and laying ofa new track from a depot would, in asubstantially like manner, be inversely employed f-orthe taking upof anold trackway and the transfer of its constituents to a depot, or-for therelaying of an already existing track.

The various contrivances which together form the mechanical installationor portable plant for laying new, disassembling old or relaying existingrailway tracks are preferably accommodated en a number of rail vehiclesconnected to form a train, as illustrated, for example, diagrammaticallyin Fig. 1; As shown the train referred to is composed of a drivingvehicle or locomotive L placed at the rear end thereof; a wagon Prepresenting in the instance shown in the drawings a brake van and anelectric power plant; a number of trucks A carrying stacks of completelyassembled track units RS each comprising rail sections and sleepersproperly assembled together and at the forward end a truck 13 supportinga cantilever or bridge C and motor driven crane crab .t will be noticedin the drawing that a truck A is shown immediately behind the cranetruck B which carries no load. This truck is normally empty and servesas a pass over truck above the deck of which the assemblec units RSbrought forward by a travelling trolley crane or gantry D from any oneof the rear trucks A, are individually posi tioned so that they may beplaced by the gantry below the rear arm C of the cantilever crane Cwhere they can be picked up by the laying crab thereof and carriedforward thereby beyond the forward end of the crane truck l?) to belowered on to the permanent way. Another empty wagon or truck may beplaced in any convenient position between the last named truck and thepower or brake van for the purpose of suitably dealing with sections ofold track when relaying.

In Fig. 1 a track unit BS is shown in the act of being lowered from theforward crane arm C of the cantilever C to the permanent way, while thetravelling gantry D has picked up a unit from the foremost loaded truckA and is in the act of conveying it onto the truck A, enabling it to belowered. and advanced and be placed below the cantilever arm C on thetruck B. The travelling gantry D then returns to fetch another trackunit from the stacks on the trucks A while the laying crab of thecantilever structure returns to pick up the track unit which has beendeposited on truck 13 and to carry it forward for layin onthe-pern'ianent way.

The whole of the truck A A B employed in a train of this kind havesecured to their decks or floors or are otherwise provided withpermanent runways or rails 1 forming together a continuous trackportable as a. whole as the train travels and enabling the crane, gantryor like contrivances to move backwards and forward along the same. Theserunways formed by parallel rails 1 are best shown in Figs. 2 and 10 to13. They are supported by brackets 2 along each side of each truck A andin rear of the leg of the cantilever crane on truck B. The gauge ofthese runways is of a breadth allowing suflicient clearance to thesleepers of the truck units RS.

The gaps in these runwrys between consecutive trucks according to thisinvention are bridged over by ShOlL rail joints constructed and soconnected to the fixed runways l on the trucks. as to yield to themovements= of the individual trucks and generallyto I adapt themselvesto any irregularities of the permanent railway track of r the train.Inasmuch as the. distance behicles, it is necessary also that these railjoints should be capableot expansion and contraction as the casemay be.With these objects in view the'bridge rails of which these joints areformed are cach composed of two members'B and 4;, the member 2 be ingpermanently secured tothe end of the I adjacent rail of the runway 1 ofone vehicle i no direction.

and releasably to the other member t which latter forms a permanentpartor, but is arranged, to slide alongthe corresponding runway ;1 ofthe other vehicle. Each bridge railmember 3 is pivotally so connected,both to the stationaryfrailott therunway 1 and totheqcorrespondingislidable bridge rail member 4 as to, be capable ofswinging in a vertical plane and of. performing also limited oscillatingmovements in a lateral The, permanent connection of the member 3 to therunwayrail 1, is effected within a fork of the latter by means of acardan joint 5, the movements of which are, however, restricted, notonly in .conse quence of the stationary nature of the runway part ofsuch joint, but, further, by the arrangement oi laterally flared faceson the forked ends of the said runway l and of stop in the form of. aflange 1? on the underside thereof whereby the lateral oscillations andthe downward swinging movements of the bridgerail member 3. areappropriately limited. The flange 1 is cut away inpart toallow themember 3 to be swung back over the top when not inuse.

The b idge rail member t is arranged to slide along the inside oi"? theopposite run way rail, (Fig.1?) being supported on the bottom flange 1?ins guide way formed by the runway 1 and" an inner lateral flange lasecured thereto. At its outer end the member 4i isprovidcd vwith a shoea". (Figs. 10 and 13) slidably supported on a plate 6 forming thetop ofa bracket which is rigid: 1y secured on the vehicle or some stationarypart thereof, as for instancdthe bracket 2 supporting therunway 1.Thisend of the member 4- is moreover orlset to form a tongue l (Fig. 11)and the adjacent end of the l'n'idge rail member 3is. forked and adaptedto receive said tongue and thereby to align the member 3 with the membera. One prong 3 of the forked end or the 111G111. her 8 isproduced byreduetionofits thickness and the other prong 3" is formed bya partlaterally offset thereto. The. prongs Stand 3? as clearlywseen fromFigs. 10 and 13, are hook-shaped and recessed to engage a hor1zontalp1n4 rlgidly secured in the tongue 4. The parts 4, 3* and 3 are, as

, shown in Fig. 11, outwardly tapered ofit to admitto a limited extentofrelative lateral oscillations of the two members 3 and 4. In order toprevent the book 8, 3' from disengaging itself accidentally, a flange iproecting laterally over the prong 3? is formed on the tongue 4 and theprong 3 is reduced to a height enabling it to pass clear between thesaid flange l. and the pin. 4 when-com necting or disconnecting themembers 3: and 4t.

. The necessity of providing for a "sliding V movement between thebridge rail members 3, land the runwaysl and the consequent lateraljuxtaposition thereof entail v for a corresponding distance a doublewidth of tread. E gantry running on these runw H s and provided with theordinary type of wheels having I a sufliciently broad tread would beliable to runwoff the track or to twist. In order to. overcome thisdanger the wheels 7 (Figs. 4 and 13) are formed with double treads, one7 of normal diameterto run on the broader gauge track formed by therunways 1 and a tread 7 of a larger diameterto run on the inner narrowergauge track, which is formed by the bridging rails and 4 on acorrespondinglylower level than the runways 1. The tread 7 thus forms arim or flange for the tread 7 and prevents running off ortwisting of thegantry. Theends of the tread of the high level track are tapered toensure smooth running. f A r j At each end of the truck one runway isthus fitted with a member Sand the other with a memberalnitin inverseorder at opposite endsof the truck so that when two vehicles so fittedare brought together, the bridge rails will always be complementary.Alongside the runways 1 butpreferably below the. same and secured tothebrackets 2 ers;- arranged insulated conductor rails 8 by which electriccurrent is supplied from thepower plant P (Fig.1) to the travellinggantry D and to the laying crab E. Atone end these conductors 8 areconnected means of a flexible cable 9;to ajunction box 10 secured on thevehicle (Fig.10). On

the opposite truck the conductor rail has.

connected to its. flexible cable 9 which is securedto the vehicle bymeans of aclamp 11 and is coupled to the cable 90f the ad. joiningvehicle at the junction box 10. This cable 9 is of sufiici'ent length tofreely span the normal maximum distance between the vehicles. Eachconductorrail is thus connected atone end to a junction box and at theother end to a flexible cable,an inverse order beingladopted at oppositesides of the vehicleso that these fittings oftwo vehicles complement oneanother irrespective of which endsthereof may meet.

The travelling gantry D (Fig. 4) has an arch shaped structure of aspanallowing free clearance to the length of the sleepers of the trackunits RS and enabling it freely to travel on the runways 1 and thebridge rails 3 and 4.

It is driven from a motor 12 through suitable gearing (Figs. 2 and ofany known type and chain drives engaging sprocket wheels attached to thewheels '7. Hoisting is performed by a winding drum l3 driven by means ofsuitable intermediate gearing (clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3) from amotor 14. The motors 12 and 14 are controlled by switches 12 and lloperated respectively by chains 12 and 1 1 (provided at both sides ofthe gantry) and are fed with electric current by the co-operation ofappropriate collectors with the conductor rails 8. In order to ensurecontinuous supply of electricity'to the motors, two collectors areprovided ateach side of the gantry, placed at such distance apart thatin passing from one vehicle to the other oneconductor at each side isalways in contact with a conductor rail.

An operators platform D adapted to be folded into the gantry is providedat each side thereof.

uspended from the hoisting ropes 13 which pass over rope pulleys 15(Figs. 2 and 4) isa grip frame D having a length approximately equal totwo-thirds of the length of a track unit BS. The lowering of this gripframe'is effected in well known manner by gravity under brake control(not shown).

A device enabling the grip frame to be laterally displaced or adjustedis shown in Figs. lt to 16. Two each of the'rope pulleys 15 at each endof the gantry are journalled in a freely rotatable manner on hubs formedon a carriage 16 which is'adapted to run on rails formed. by transverse-beams d arranged on the top of the gantry frame D. The carriage itselfforms a nut for a screw spindle 17 bearing in the longitudinalmembers-of the saidgantry frame and carrying rigidly mounted on it,atone end a. worm wheel 18 operated by a' worm 19 mounted on alongitudinal shaft 20. Theshaft 20 is operated in either direction .bychains 21 actuating chain pulleys 21 mounted at either rside of thegantry frame within easy reach of the operator, on transversely.arranged shafts 22 which are operatively connected'to the said shaft 20by means of bevel gears 22 and a chain drive 23.

'The grip frame D showing the means for gripping the track units isshown in Figs. 17 to '20. Preferably andas shown such a frame isprovided at each side with, for instance, four pairs of gripping dogs orclaws 24,

projectingtransversely:through the sides of the frame D and adapted toengage .below the head of the rails of.the track units to be seized. Thedogs orclaws of :the two sides are arranged transversely in alignmentand are all operated simultaneously. The gripping claws 24-,'25 ofopposite pairs are connected by links 2 1 25 to eccentric pins mounteddiametrically. opposite each other onvone of two meshing spur wheels 20,26. The spur wheels 26 of the several sets on one side are mounted on acommon shaft 27 operated by either of two hand wheels 28 secured asshown in Figs. 18, 19 at opposite sides of the frame Don a commonactuating shaft 29. The rotary motion imparted to the shaft 29 by one ofthe hand wheels 28 is transmitted by spur gearing 30 and a worm 31 to aworm wheel 32 mounted on the shaft 2?. The spur wheels 26 :being thusoperated will each cause its companion spur wheel 26 to rotate in theopposite direction so that the claws 24'W1HhbB drawn in and the claws 25pushed out (see Fig. 20) thus jointly closing on the head of the rail Rof the track unit. Rotation of a hand wheel 28 in the opposite directionwill cause the claws 2i and 25 to open and thereby to release the railsR. v

The arrangement and construction of the cantilever or bridge C includingits motor driven crane crab E are illustrated more particularly in Figs.1 and 5 tot). It is as stated mounted on thecrane truck B and providedwith a long arm C projecting forward over the truck and the roadbed soas to allow an assembled track unit to be run out clear thereof andlowered. The inner shorter cantilever arm C is weighted in the usualmanner to assist balance.

As shown in Fig. 9 the pillar structure C is arch-shaped to provide roomfor the crane or laying crab E and the passage of the track section RSand is rigidly supported on the sides of the truck. As shown in Figs. (3and 8, the arms C and C of the cantilever are tapered or contracted tooutward and inward, respectively; the object of the taper on the reararm C being to enable the gantry structure D to travel over or, rather,to house a substantial portion of the arm C at the laying end of thetrain, and the grip frame or grab D to approach the grip frame E asclosely as possible for their cooperation.

The laying crab E (Figs. 7, 8, 9) runs on rails 33 arranged on theinside of the cantilever and is provided with a driving motor 34:connected by a reducing gear directly to the front axle of the crab. Ahoisting motor 1 35 drives the winding drum 36 working the ropes 35 overpulley blocks. suspended from which is the grip frame E. Only twofloating sheaves 37 carry the frame E so that lateral displacement ofthe said sheaves out of thecentre line of gravity of the frame E aiidtheloadcarried thereby enables'such load to be tilted laterally at will.

For this purpose and as shown in Figs. 21,22 and 23 the frame E issuspended or supported at each point of suspension on the wheels of atransversely arranged carriage ,38 which is attached to the sheaves 87.

At one end the carriage is. formed into or has secured to ita guide rod38? while at the other end a screw threaded spindle 38 is fitted tosaidcarriage. A worm wheel 89 mounted as a nut on the spindle 38* whenrotated by means of the worm l causes the carriage to be moved axially,that is trans- .ve'rselyto the frame, and thereby to dis- "place thepoint of suspension laterally. The worms etOof the two suspensiondevices are imounted on a common shaft 41 which is operated by "means ofthe hand wheel 42.

' Theframe E is fitted with gripping claws 24, in an analogous manner asdescribed hereinbefore in connection with the grip frame D ofthetravelling gantry.

In operation, if it is desired to lay a new track, sections RS of the,assembled track are 3 stacked on the successive railway trucks A asshown and picked up in successive order propelled on to thecantileverti'uck B and. over the arm C of the cantilever, this being bythe grab D attached to the gantry D which travels on the runways 1, 3, 4on top of said trucks. The gantry crane D is then possible due to theouter structure of the gantry D being wider than that of the taper ing;arm G which latter is thus enabled to telescope, so to say, into thegantry to the desired extentas shown in Figs. 5 to 8, after havinglowered the assembled track with its sleepers over the truck .A, and iscaused to deposit it on top of the cantilever trucln The crane crab E onthe, cantilever C is then caused to pick up this section of assembledtrack which is then run out on the cantilever arm C and the section oftrack is lowered out and laid on the ground. In the meantime the firsttrolley crane D referred to has travelled backon the railway trucks Aand A to pick up its next load of assembled track and so the cycleofoperations proceeds until all the sections of assembled trackaretransferred from the trucks A to their laid posiwork proceeds.

tions, the train progressing forward on the newly laid sections ofrailway track as the 1 In taking up sections of old. laid railway trackand laying new units in their place,

the old. assembled sections with their sleepers, are raised by meansofthe cantilever crane crab E and transferred on to the top of thecantilever truck Bfwhile the travelling gantryD on the railway truckstravels with its load as before and lays the new track unit on top ofthe removed section of track. These operations can also be reversed,tl1e

the stacked units.

old track being placed on top of the new length already in position onthe cantilever truck,

it in joining position to the existing laid track. In the meantime thegantry crane D picks up the old section of track from the cantilevertruck B and transfers it on to oneof the trucks A and so the operationproceeds until all'the new track units are re moved from their trucksand are replaced by the old sections of removed tracks, the .,trainprogressing along the previously ex1stingtrack as the new track unitsare laid. The old sections of track are then trans,

ferred to the depot. When not laying track it is found convenient anddesirable to boost or support the longer overhanging portion of thecantilever C by means of a railway V truck provided if desired with abolster or,

support which will run .on the railway proper. Said truck may besubsequently side-tracked and shunted on to the train and loaded up,with sections of removed track.

It will be readilyunderstood that atrain,

arranged according to this invention could deemed limited to thespecific example or application illustrative of its. performance. Iclaim as my inventiontq v 1. Railway rolling stock for laying, taking upor relaying railway tracks from assembled track units or sections,comprising a train of trucks coupled together in line and having tracksections attached to their respective floors or decks and connected withone another to form a single continuous rail track; a gantry adapted totravel freely along said track from one end of the train to the other;and a laying crab at the laying end ofthe train adapted to receive trackunits from or feed them to the gantry.

2. Railway rolling stock, according to claim 1, in which the crab'iscarried by a cantilever extending into the path of the. gantry; and inwhich the reception and feeding of the track units by and from the crabtake place substantially on a levelwith the decks of the trucks.

0 3. Railway rolling stock, according to claim 1, inwhich the tracksections are. mounted on the consecutive trucks with spacesbetween themfor the stacking of the track units; and in which the gantry is adaptedto travel along the track and over 7 The cantilever crane crab E thenpicks upthis new section of track and lays i. Railway rolling stock forlaying, taking up or re-laying railway tracks from assembled track unitsvor sections, comprising a train. of trucks coupled together in line andhaving track sections attached to their respective floors or decks andconnected with one another to form a single continuous rail track, thetrack sections on successive trucks being mounted with spaces betweenthem for the; stacking of the track units; a gantry adapted to travelfreely along. said track and over the stacked units fromone end of thetrain tothe other; a cantilever at the laying end of the train extendinginto the path of the. gantry; and a laying crab carried. by thecantilever adapted to receive track units from or feed them to thegantry substantially on a level with the decks of. the trucks.

5. Railway rolling stock for laying, taking up or re-layingrail'way'tracks from assembled track units or sections, comprising atrain of trucks coupled together in line and having. track sectionsattached to their respective floors or decks andconnected' with oneanother to forma single continuous rail track, the track sections onconsecutive true-ks being mounted with spaces between them for thestacking of the track units; a gantry adapted to travel freely alongsaid track and constructed to form a bridge or arch over and clear. ofthe stacked track units;' a cantileveruat the laying end of the trainhaving an arm which overhangs said track and which is constructed toenable the. gantry and the said arm itself to house one another in theirco-operative position; and a crab carried. by said cantilever to receivetrack units from or feed them to the gantry.

6 Railway rolling stock for laying, tak ing up or re laying railwaytracks from assembledtrack' units, or sections, comprising a train oftrucks coupled together in line and liavingitrack sections attached totheir respective floors or decks and connected with one another to forma single continuous rail track,fthe track sections on consecutivetruclis being mounted with spaces between them for the stacking of thetrack units; a gantry adapted to travel freely along said track andconstructed to form a bridge or arch over and" clear ofthe stacked trackunits; a cantilever at the laying end of the train having a forward armwhich overhangs the-road bed and a rear'arm which overhangs the'tra'ck;a crab carried by the cantilever to receive track units from or feedthem-to thegantry;,and*a runway for the crab laid over the entire lengthofthe cantilever coaxially with and at a-relatively slightdistance'above the said track.

71' Railway rolling stock for'laying, taking up or re-laying railwaytracks from assembled track units or sections, comprising a train oftrucks coupled together in line and having track sections attached totheir respective floors or dec (S; and bridge rails between the tracksections of consecutive trucks each composed of two members connected bya readily-detachable substantiallyuniversal joint, one of said membersbeing universally jointed to the rail of one truck and the other memberbeing slidably attached to tire rail of the other truck.

8'. Railway rolling stock for laying, taking up or re-laying railwaytracks from assembled track units or sections, comprising a train oftrucks coupled together in line and having track sections attached totheir respective floors or decks and connected with one another to forma single continuous rail track; a gantry adapted to travel freely alongsaid track and provided with a hoisting gear and with a grip framesuspended therefrom; and mechanism for adjusting said frame laterallytransversely of the trucks. I 9. Railway rolling stockfor laying, takingup or re-laying railway tracks from assembled track units or sections,comprisinga train of trucks coupled together in line and having tracksections attached to their re spective floors or decks and connectedwith one another to form a single continuous rail track; a gantryadapted to travel freely along said track; a hoisting crab-at the laying end of the track for cooperation with th gantry; and a grip framesuspended from the crab and provided with means enabling lateraldisplacement of its points of suspension out of the center line ofgravity, so that said frame and the load it carries may be tiltedlaterally.

10. Railway rolling stock for laying, taking up or re-laying railwaytracks from as sembled track units or sections, comprising a train oftrucks coupled together in line and having track sections attached totheir respective floors or decks and connected with one another to forma single continuous rail track; a gantry adapted to travel freely alongsaid track; and a grip framecarried by the gantry havinglaterally-operable jaws arranged in pairs at opposite sides. a

11. Railway rolling stock, according to claim 10, in which the severalpairs of jaws provided on the grip frame are operable simultaneously togrip or to release the two rails of a track section by means of toothedgearing and crank mechanism.

12. Railway rolling stock for laying, taking up or re-layingi railwaytracks from as sembled track units or sections, comprising a pluralityof trucks coupled together in line and having track sections attached totheir respective floors or decks and connected with one another toconjointly form a single continuous rail track; a power-driven gantrylUU and current-collecting means carried by the adapted to travel alongsaid track; flexible gantry for engagement with the track rails.conductors associated with the several trucks In testimony whereof Iaflix my signature for supplying current to the track sections inpresence of two Witnesses.

thereon; a portable power house connected ARTHUR lVI-IITE BBETLAND. totravel With the track-carrying trucks and lVitnesses:

from which said conductors are supplied; BLANCHE MAY LQUERIDGE,

ESTHER STUART.

